The romantic notion of the “one-club man” is increasingly rare in modern football, but at Rangers it has been bordering on extinct for decades, and Findlay Curtis’ latest loan move underlines just how long that drought has lasted.
Curtis has joined Kilmarnock on a season-long loan, linking up with Neil McCann, who previously worked with him at Ibrox during Barry Ferguson’s interim spell.
While loans are often viewed as a technical grey area in the one-club debate, his temporary exit means he no longer fits even the most generous interpretation of a career spent solely in Rangers colours.
That leaves the club’s last true one-club man firmly rooted in history: John Greig. The iconic captain spent his entire playing career at Ibrox before retiring in 1978 and moving directly into the manager’s role.
Since Greig, Rangers have produced loyalty, longevity and legendary service, but not another player whose professional career was exclusively tied to the club.
Several icons came close. Ally McCoist, Ian Durrant and Barry Ferguson are synonymous with Rangers eras, yet each had spells elsewhere that break the definition. McCoist played for Kilmarnock late in his career and had spells with St Johnstone and Sunderland prior to his 15-year Ibrox tenure, Ferguson had several stints away, and Durrant also featured for Everton and Kilmarnock.
Others fall into technical footnotes. 80’s youngster Jim McIntyre only played professionally at Rangers before drifting out of the game, but with such limited senior involvement he is rarely counted in this conversation.
Scott Nisbet is another near-miss: a loan spell at East Fife in the 1980s and a return to football years after retirement with junior outfit Arniston Rangers ruled him out.
Then there are the stalwarts whose association feels exclusive but isn’t. Derek Johnstone’s late-career spells with Chelsea and Partick Thistle ended his one-club credentials.
Alex Miller spent 14 years at Ibrox but also turned out for Morton and had time in China before retirement. Colin Jackson devoted 19 of his 20 professional years to Rangers, yet brief spells with Morton and Partick Thistle still disqualify him.
The pattern reflects the shifting realities of football careers. Squad churn, loans for development, financial pressures and player mobility have made Greig’s path almost impossible to replicate.
Curtis’ departure is therefore symbolic. Even academy graduates now are expected to gain experience elsewhere, and the pathway to first-team football increasingly includes external minutes.
Loyalty remains valued, but exclusivity has faded.
In an era of contracts, clauses and career management, Greig’s record stands not just as a Rangers milestone, but as a relic of a different football age, one unlikely to be matched again at Ibrox.